Hello everyone! Today, I want to talk about something crucial: the importance of having a good photo when creating a Giclée print.
Many of you follow me on social media and have seen the works I create, so I decided to answer some of the most frequently asked questions and explain the meticulous process behind a high-quality printed copy. Let’s get started!
WHAT IS A GICLÉE PRINT?
First, let’s talk about what a Giclée print is and why it’s so special. The term “Giclée” comes from French and means “to spray.” Sounds sophisticated, right? Well, it is. This technique uses high-quality inkjet printers to reproduce artworks and photographs with a precision and detail that will leave you in awe. It started being used in the late 1980s and has been adopted by artists and photographers for its ability to produce copies that are practically indistinguishable from the original.
LET’S COMPARE IT TO A TYPICAL LASER PRINTER PRINT:
A comparison of quality and detail between a Giclée print and a print made with a traditional printer.
TYPICAL (LASER) PRINT:
• Image Quality: Adequate for documents and simple graphics but limited in terms of detail and color range. Perfect for printing a shopping list.
• Durability: Laser prints can fade over time and are not very resistant to light and water. Great for those nostalgic moments when looking at faded photos.
• Texture and Finish: Usually have a glossy or semi-glossy finish, which might not be ideal for all artworks. If you like the shine of cheap magazines, this is your option.
GICLÉE PRINT:
• Image Quality: Exceptional, with precise color reproduction and fine details. Ideal for high-quality artwork and photography. This is where the magic happens.
• Durability: Very high, thanks to archival-quality inks and acid-free papers that ensure prints last for many years without fading. Think of it as immortality for your images.
• Texture and Finish: Can vary from matte to glossy, depending on the type of paper used, providing superior versatility for different types of art. The best of both worlds.
Imagine printing a vibrant photo of a landscape. With a laser printer, the colors may look flat and dull, and fine details might get lost. In contrast, with a Giclée print, every shade of green in the foliage and every ray of light in the sky is reproduced with astounding fidelity, making the image come to life. It’s like seeing the Mona Lisa on a postcard versus seeing it in the Louvre; every brushstroke and color nuance is appreciated in its full glory.
THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THE PRINTED PIECE
One of my Giclée prints accompanied by its Hahnemühle Certificate of Authenticity.
One of the greatest advantages of Giclée prints is their exclusivity. These prints are the closest option to acquiring an original work. Each printed piece is signed, numbered, and accompanied by a Hahnemühle Certificate of Authenticity. This certificate guarantees the authenticity and quality of the print and includes several security features:
Detail of the Hahnemühle Certificates of Authenticity that accompany my Giclée prints.
• Handmade paper with a deckled edge and watermark.
• Security fibers visible under UV light.
• Hologram system with unique serial numbers.
These measures ensure that each print is a genuine and exclusive work of art.
THE EPSON SURECOLOR P7500 12-INK PLOTTER
In my studio, I work with an Epson SureColor P7500 12-ink plotter, a true beast of printing technology. This plotter offers a wide color gamut and exceptional precision, allowing every detail and nuance of the original work to be faithfully reproduced in the final print. Thanks to its 12 inks, the Giclée prints I create have a color depth and realism that will make you think you’re looking at the original.
View of the high-quality ink cartridges used in the Epson SureColor P7500 plotter.
Epson SureColor P7500.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PAPER
The paper we use is another fundamental factor. I use the fine art paper “Museum” RAG Photo Mate UltraSmooth 310 gsm. This paper is made of 100% cotton, is acid-free, and contains no optical brighteners. It has a natural matte white finish and an ultra-smooth surface, making it water-resistant and capable of reproducing an extraordinary and wide range of vivid colors and deep blacks. It offers high-definition printing and long-term stability for many years, being very popular among photographers for creating high-quality FineArt prints. Ideal for printing both black-and-white and vivid color photographs.
THE CRUCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE WORK
But all this high-tech equipment would be useless without a good photo of the original work. The quality of the photograph is crucial to achieving a high-quality print. The better the photo, the higher the quality of the print. The Epson SureColor P7500 plotter prints with 99.9% accuracy to the image we provide, so having an expert professional photographer is vital.
The Fujifilm GFX100II camera that my friend Oscar used to photograph the artwork “Time Is Gold.”
For this occasion, my friend Oscar from Tururut, a company specialized in high-tech multimedia and high creativity craftsmanship since 1999, took the photos. He used a Fujifilm GFX100II camera, one of the best medium format cameras available on the market, known for its 102-megapixel resolution, which allows for capturing incredible details.
Profile view of the Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR lens, known for its sharpness and quality.
The lens used was a Fujifilm GF 55mm f/1.7 R WR, offering exceptional sharpness and impressive bokeh, ideal for highlighting the details and texture of the work. The photos were taken in the studio setup, ensuring controlled lighting and environment, resulting in extremely high-quality images.
Close-up of the medium format sensor of the Fujifilm GFX100II camera.
WHAT IS A MEDIUM FORMAT CAMERA?
To better understand the quality of the photographs, it’s important to know what a medium format camera is and how it differs from a full-frame camera. A medium format camera has a significantly larger sensor than a full-frame (35mm) camera. This larger sensor size allows for capturing a much higher amount of details, providing images with superior resolution and greater depth of field.
Capture of the photo session for the canvas I painted, conducted in Oscar’s studio.
For example, the Fujifilm GFX100II features a 102-megapixel sensor, which is impressive compared to the typical 24 to 50 megapixels of full-frame cameras. This means that images captured with a medium format camera have exceptional clarity and detail, ideal for large-sized prints like Giclée, where every small detail matters.
Comparative Example:
• Full Frame Camera: If we print a work photographed with a full-frame camera like the Canon EOS R5, we’ll get a high-quality image, perfect for standard-sized prints.
• Medium Format Camera: Using a medium format camera like the Fujifilm GFX100II, the same captured work will show surprising definition and detail even in large prints, allowing you to see textures and nuances that a full-frame camera could not capture with the same precision.
Detailed view of the medium format sensor, showcasing its ability to capture impressive images.
In summary, the quality of a Giclée print depends not only on the printing equipment and paper but also on the quality of the original work’s photograph and the exclusivity it is given. Ensuring that each stage of the process is carried out with the utmost precision and professionalism guarantees a faithful and durable reproduction of the artwork. So, if you’re thinking about making a print of your work, don’t skimp on the photography or authenticity details; the difference in the final result will be remarkable.
The Meticulous Work Behind a Giclée Print
Final result of a Giclée print of one of my works, available in my online store.
All of this is a team effort and a meticulous process: designing the certificate, preparing the photo, taking product photos for the website, creating content… This is an effort that many people don’t appreciate, but it’s essential to ensure that each work reaches you with the best possible quality. Additionally, there’s a lot of work behind the scenes: photo editing, retouching and preparation, print tests before starting. Doing tests is crucial to ensure the colors are correct. It’s not just about photographing, transferring to the computer, and printing; it’s a massive task that sometimes takes hours and hours of preparation. I hope you now better understand everything behind a Giclée print and appreciate the value and dedication it entails.
So, the next time you see a Giclée print, remember all the work and detail behind that artwork. Thank you for reading, and I hope you find this information useful! If you have any questions or want to know more about the process, feel free to leave your comments.